CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY MONTH WITH NOTABLE ANGELENOS

Acclaimed ballerina Misty Copeland is the first African-American performer to be appointed as a principal dancer for American Ballet Theatre.

Born on September 10, 1982 in Kansas City, Missouri, and raised in San Pedro, California, Misty Copeland endured a tumultuous home life to find her way to dance, eventually studying under California ballet instructor Cindy Bradley. Copeland joined the studio company of American Ballet Theatre in 2000, becoming a soloist several years later and starring in an array of productions such as The Nutcrackerand Firebird. An icon whose star shines beyond the world of classical dance, in late June 2015 Copeland became the first African-American performer to be appointed as an ABT principal dancer in the company’s decades long history.